Maps saving as other maps?

Always save multiples, and always do occasional custom match walkthroughs so you have it in your recently played.

 

This happened in Reach too.

I always save a copy of my map when I make a considerable update. For example, "Serum / BETA V2" and Serum / BETA V2 copy."

 

Yep! I was working on a High Ground remake since I got the game and knew I didn't have Live (so no multiplayer) and was waiting on my brother to play Campaign... so I decided to Forge something. I was like...85% done with the map with the other percentage coming with just finishing the back portion of the High Ground base (i.e. the giant missile cannon aesthetic, the sewer pipe entrance, etc.) and tweaking/adjusting what I currently had. I was so proud of it and then all of a sudden...it says it's a Ravine map (I was building on Erosion) and it's gone.

I was doubly sad because I was attempting a map no one else was trying at the time and...by the looks of it -- STILL haven't tried. I have no idea if it'd play even remotely the same but I was sure it'd bear a slight resemblance in terms of gameplay.... :/ I haven't forged anything so in depth ever because I'm a noob at it and it was my first ambitious project and then it was gone. I haven't really felt like making any other maps. Tried it but...nothing really. The only other map I made is an original one which I'm still refining and I'm trying to make a Valhalla remake (on Ragnarok) with all the classic weapon spawns and vehicles.

 

This has happened to every forger at some point or another, in both Reach and H4.

There are two ways to avoid this glitch: A) save your map as a new version every time you save it, or B) always clear the map cache by loading up a non-forge map (like Abandon) in the map slot before loading your forge map and when switching between forged map variants.

I prefer clearing the cache because it's quick and I don't have to clear out a whole bunch of versions of my map once I'm done, but it's up to you. Just remember to do one of these and you'll never experience this glitch again.

 

I feel like this info should be pinned somewhere or put up in an announcement (maybe the forecast.) Someone comes and asks about this at least a few times a week.

 

I suppose it's not like 343 will fix it?

 

Done. And you're right, this gets asked about non-stop. Future threads on this issue will be merged into this one.

Unfortunately it was never fixed by Bungie or 343 in Reach, and now we have a legacy glitch in Halo 4 that they haven't shown any interest in fixing, either. I wouldn't hold your breath. Just take the necessary precautions, make regular backup copies of maps that are important to you, and if you lose something, check your temp files right away to see if a recent copy of the lost map still exists. If you've played it or forged on it recently, it should be in there.

 

343 certainly thinks it would be totally fine if their own work was lost in a similar way...

 

I put my maps in my fileshare every time I'm done with a forging session. That works well too.

 

Well, here is all the info I have gained over the years about avoiding the glitch.

The glitch started in Halo: Reach I believe, though I had a few maps in Halo 3 go missing as well, so it may have even existed then. It is believed to be caused by the system overwriting the last map you were on when you use the "Save" function, instead of the one you are currently on. I do not know if it always happens or if it is random, but in the end it is best to always assume it will happen unless you take steps to avoid it.

There are 2 methods of avoidance:

1. Using "Save As" instead of "Save."

Simple, just always save a new copy of your map with a higher number each time, and delete all but the last 3-5 copies of the map. I use decimals, so the first save is Map Name 1.0, the second 1.1, third 1.2... and so on until the map is in it's final stage after testing is done. At this point I remove the number entirely, which if you save as often as you should is probably pretty high.

2. Clearing The Cache.

If this first method is frustrating, another way to prevent the glitch is to load up one of the default maps from the game before every time you go into forge on your map (Abandon, Complex, and Exile are all good examples of maps to load.) This worked in Reach and appears to work in Halo 3. Having some backups is still a good idea.

* Putting backups on your file share is recommended no matter what path you take is recommended.

If anyone has additional info feel free to add it on.

 

you know, I think there's something else missing from this discussion. I had this happen once or twice and I've changed my behavior and it has not returned since.

I have backups of some levels, but not all.

Save from start menu before exiting, THEN make sure you end game and wait to get back to previous menu.

Also, when this happens you actually do have the option to go into recent files and retrieve it, which is what I've done both times. The files were misnamed, and perhaps didn't have a few changes I had made, but I was able to save my work, mostly.

If you do not end game, it will not actually save your new file to the map selection menu. You'll have to go into recent files and try each (even if misnamed).

Don't have two maps w/ same description. This seemed to be what happened one of the times. Two maps, very different, but both on the same forge area, were named the same after a save. Changing the desc. of each so they are unique has prevented it from happening again.

 

Happened to me only once in Reach, a forge ship I made changed into Echoes for some reason.

 

I have a similar issue with map saving, but the problem seems different. Could someone please try to help me? Last night I worked on a map and saved it with no failures. I actually played on the finished level in custom games to test out a gametype for that map and to see if there are any glaring glitches. When I came back to the map today it had reverted to what appears as a previous version. Void of the spawns, and many structures that I saved. I havn't played or made any other maps yet making me believe it isn't the same issue. Does anyone have a clue?

 

if you played on it, it should be in you temporary history/recent files!

 

It actually is the same issue, I believe. What probably happened was when you saved your map it overwrote a different map, so when you are loading up the one you think you saved, you're getting an old version. If you look through your other custom maps, one of them has probably been replaced by the revision you made to THIS map. I've been bitten by that before.

 

check your temp files, with any luck you can find your pre-override map

 

Thanks everyone it was in my temporary files, though I already remade what I thought I lost haha.

 

I had my own gametype "suffocating" and liked someone elses gametype "kazerra slayer" after playing a game. I saved "kazerra slayer". Later I wanted to play "suffocating" but the author was kazzera and the settings were changed...
So same thing happened to me but with gametypes...